Angelina College settles race discrimination lawsuit, pays $315k

LUFKIN — According to our news partner KETK, Angelina College has reportedly agreed to a $315,000 settlement with a former employee in a race discrimination lawsuit. Dr. Monica Peters-Clark, a Black woman and a longtime staff member who helped establish the college’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness, claims she was unfairly passed over for the position of executive director in favor of an unqualified white candidate. Her legal representatives at Hightower, Franklin and James, PLLC, in Nacogdoches argue that the hiring decision was discriminatory.

Peters-Clark began her career at Angelina College in 2005 as the Learning Outcomes Coordinator and the Quality Enhancement Plan Coordinator. By 2007, she was made the college’s Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness.

However, in 2017 she was laid off during a round of “administrative restructuring.” According to her lawsuit, after her position was eliminated, the college created a new position based on her old role.

On Feb. 18, 2022, Angelina College posted a new position for executive director. Peters-Clark applied on Feb. 28 and the college’s search committee, including Angelina College president Dr. Michael Simon, interviewed a white candidate and not Peters-Clark. Court records show that Peters-Clark was only then interviewed after a trustee called Simon, stating the local Black community expected her to be considered for the role.
Dr. Michael Simon. Courtesy of Angelina College.

Peters-Clark was interviewed on March 10, however the white candidate was sent an offer on March 11, according to court records. Peters-Clark was informed she did not get the job on April 15 and she filed a formal grievance with the college on April 28.

According to United States Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson, Peters-Clark got the impression that the college had someone else in mind for the position or that they didn’t want to search for diverse candidates.

Peters-Clark went through the college’s grievance process but on May 24 the college notified her that they had found no violations of their equal opportunity policies. She then filed an employment discrimination complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division, which was dismissed in April 2023.

Then on June 21, 2023, she filed her lawsuit against Angelina College to “correct unlawful discrimination practices in the workplace based on race which have been engaged [by the college].”

The trial was set to start on Nov. 24 but Peters-Clark and Angelina College decided to settle the lawsuit, meaning the case was dismissed before it reached a jury. A statement from Peters-Clark’s representatives claimed that Simon tried to paint Peters-Clark and other former Black employees in a negative light by making false comments throughout the course of the lawsuit.

“This historic settlement fully vindicates Dr. Peters-Clark. The fact is that Angelina College has had to spend $315,000 to fix a problem almost entirely created by President Simon. While we are pleased with this settlement and the message it sends, Dr. Peters-Clark and I would encourage the Angelina College Board of Trustees to continue to review this matter and hold President Simon accountable for his actions and inappropriate hiring practices.

Despite President Simon’s conduct and this litigation, Dr. Peters-Clark has been and will continue to be a supporter of the college and the positive impact that it has on Lufkin and East Texas.”
Tanner Franklin with Hightower, Franklin and James, PLLC

KETK News has contacted Angelina College several times for a comment but has not heard back.